BREECH-LOADERS. 65 



insinuations of tribes of gun-sellers, who, doubt- 

 less, had large stocks of muzzle-loaders on hand, 

 and did not like to see the value of their stock 

 go down in the market. " The system is not 

 safe ; the breech is not sound ; the guns will not 

 shoot ; " was the cry, and at times the controversy 

 became so warm, that the " interested oppo- 

 nents " became even unparliamentary in their 

 language. 



Bets of all descriptions, to any amount, were 

 offered, which, had the Old Shekarry been " an 

 army contractor" instead of a soldier, he would 

 have had to borrow capital to cover. At this 

 crisis, General Charitee, a celebrated old sports- 

 man and a crack shot, came to the rescue, chal- 

 lenged all comers in The Field, and offered to 

 back his breech-loader, made by Lang, for a 

 thousand pounds, against any muzzle-loader be- 

 longing to the boisterous crew. This plucky 

 offer, although never taken up, hushed the storm, 

 the agitation was calmed, temperate discussion 

 followed, trials were organised, the subject was 

 p 



